In known ways to bundle containers, the containers are supplied on a transport level of a conveyor. The containers stand upright and with their container axes oriented vertically or substantially vertically. They arrive oriented randomly in a wide stream of containers. A set of forming lanes receives this wide stream of containers and converts it into multiple one-lane streams of containers. Further process stages separate the containers to form subsequent bundles or container groups from the one-lane streams of containers. This is followed by bringing together the necessary number of containers into a compacted container group in which the containers lie against each other by multiple lateral or circumferential surfaces, i.e. by contact-or-touching surfaces thereof. Finally, the containers are joined together to form a compact and solid or stable bundle.
It is known to shrink-wrap containers together to form the bundle. However, a disadvantage of shrink-wrap is the cost of providing the heating to shrink the shrink film.
Another known way to bundle containers together is by strapping. This involves using a loop to reach around the container group and to bind them together to form a bundle. The strapping can also be made to adhere to the containers.
A disadvantage of strapping is that once a single container is removed from a strapped bundle, the strapping can no longer hold the remaining containers in the bundle together. This loss of structural integrity is not limited to the case in which one cuts or severs the strapping. It occurs even when one removes a container from the bundle without cutting through the strapping.